KEEP THE COAST CLEAR: Oppose Offshore Drilling in Maine

Mar 1, 2018

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Quick Action

The Trump administration wants to open most of the U.S. coastline to oil and gas exploration, including Maine. Our congressional delegation as well as the Maine legislature unanimously oppose the plan. Attend a public hearing in Augusta on Wednesday, March 7 and submit a public comment before the March 9 deadline.

TALKING POINTS

Engineers and scientists say Trump’s plan would make a repeat of the devastating 2010 oil spill inevitable. The Interior Department estimates a 75% chance of a major oil spill in the Arctic’s Chukchi Sea from just a single lease sale.

Existing offshore drilling is responsible for an estimated 30,000 oil spills per year.

A spill off Maine’s coast would decimate the tourism industry, which supports nearly 106,000 jobs for Mainers. In 2015, 71% of tourist spending in the state was along the coast, totaling $4 billion.

This plan would allow seismic underwater testing and exploratory drilling that research suggests causes serious displacement of fish, which could reduce the commercial fish catch by up to 70%, a potential death blow to Maine’s shellfish, fishing, and lobster industries.

The economic hit to Maine from this proposal and its high risk of accident and injury would be swift and severe: In 2015, Maine’s shellfish aquaculture and lobster industries contributed $15 million and $1.5 billion, respectively, to the state’s economy.

In 2014, the U.S. Atlantic Ocean economy contributed more than $92 billion to the nation’s GDP—one of many reasons why drilling in the Atlantic hasn’t been seriously considered for more than 30 years.

The current five-year plan, finalized less than a year ago, was the result of a multi-year process that included extensive public input, including more than 1.4 million public comments opposing offshore drilling, scientific evidence of the risk of environmental damage, and feedback from members of Congress, governors, and community leaders in states whose coastal waters would be affected.

Suit Up Maine is a statewide, all-volunteer, progressive, grassroots group of more than 5,400 Mainers that seeks to create and foster a more informed and engaged electorate. We raise awareness of and advocate for policies and legislation that promote equity and equality in civil rights, social justice, health care, the environment, education, the economy, and other areas that affect the lives of all people. We are beholden to issues and action, not parties or politicians, and we aren’t engaged in fundraising. Suit Up Maine fosters collaboration among our state’s progressive groups and organizations to collectively connect, educate, and motivate Mainers to rise in non-violent resistance to a regressive agenda.